A commentary upon the whole Old Testament, added to that of the same author upon the whole New Testament published many years before, to make a compleat work upon the whole Bible. Vols. 2-4. Wherein the divers translations and expositions, literall and mysticall, of all the most famous commentators both ancient and modern are propounded, examined, and judged of, for the more full satisfaction of the studious reader in all things, and many most genuine notions inserted for edification in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. A work, the like unto which hath never yet been published by any man, yet very necessary, nor only for students in divinity; but also for every Christian that loveth the knowledge of divine things, or humane, whereof this comment is also full. Consisting of IV parts. I Upon the Pentateuch, or five books of Moses. II Upon the historical part, from Joshua to Esther. III Upon Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Solomons Song. IV Upon all the prophets both great and small. By John Mayer, doctor of divinity.

CHAP. XLIX.

IN this Chapter the Prophet foretelleth the judgements to come upon Am∣mon Moabs brother both in birth and qualities, pride and contempt of Is∣rael, and oppressing him in part of his inheritance, viz. that which was gi∣ven to the Tribe of Gad. And then he proceeds to speak against Edom, Ke∣dar and Elam. Vers. 1. Hath Israel no heirs? hath he no sons? why then doth their * 1.1 King inherit Gad? The Tribe of Gad had an inheritance on the other side of Jordan near to the Ammonites countrey, and being carried away Captive by the Assyrian first of all others, 2 King. 15. the Ammonites took Gilead, where they had dwelt, into possession, as Theodoret noteth, and they attempted to * 1.2 have done it long before in the dayes of Iephtab, Judg. 11. For this the Pro∣phet here reproveth them, as doing manifest wrong to Israel that had other heirs, the rest of the Tribes, in the exile of Gad to enter upon his inheritance, and therefore he threatneth them vers. 2. with destruction even in Rabbah, a chief City of the Ammonites, and Israel shall come in as heir to inherit their * 1.3 Land. And thus it came to passe, as was shewed before out of Josephus, at the same time that Moab was destroyed by the Caldees, and for Israels inheriting it after their return out of Captivity, see 1 Machab. 5. 6. and Joseph. lib. 13. antiq. c. 21. So that here was Lex talionis observed, they that invaded the inheritance of others had their own invaded by them.

Howl (O Heshbon) because Hai is wasted. Of Heshbon we read before Ch. * 1.4 48. in Moab, but Hai of the Ammonites being near to this City, she is bidden to howl at the destruction thereof, as a sad presage of her own ruine to follow soon after, whereby it seemeth, that although Moabs destruction be spoken of before Ammons, yet it followed in order of time after.

Then having shewed the brags of Ammon, saying, Nove shall come to me, * 1.5 that is, no enemy to prevail, but how vain they were vers. 5. he concludeth with their return, as he had done before touching Moabs.

Touching Edom, he beginneth with the chief thereof, saying, How is wis∣dom * 1.6 perished from Teman, a City having the name from Eliphaz his son Teman, who was the son of Esau or Edom, Gen. 36. 11. and Eliphaz one of the wise men that disputed with Job about God, is said to have been Eliphaz the Tema∣nite; whereby is implied, that it was a City wherein wise men were noted to have dwelled, happily being a kinde of University, but now there were none wise enough to save their City from destruction. By the like is Egypt upbraid∣ed, Isa. 19. 11.

Dwell deep (O inhabitant of Dedan.) Of which Dedan, from whom the * 1.7 name of this City came, see Gen. 25. 1. he was one of the sons of Keturah, who inhabited near to Edom. In bidding them dwell deep, he meaneth that they should have need to hide themselves in holes and caves of the earth for fear of the enemy.

Will grape-gatherers leave no branch ungathered. Here by two similitudes he * 1.8 sheweth that the Edomites shall lurk no where, but they shall be found out, and carried away or destroyed, 1. Of Grape-gatherers from whom some bunch or other lieth hid, and so escapes gathering. 2. Of thieves coming into an house in the night, that see not all the goods therein in every corner to take all away, and therefore leave some: And to expresse this further, he saith, I have revealed the hidden things of Esau, his seed is spoiled, his brethren * 1.9 and neighbours, and he is not. Vers. 11. Leave thy fatherlesse children, I will preserve them, &c. In setting forth the destruction of Edom, he sheweth that * 1.10 it shall be so universal, that they who shall perish and die there, shall have no brethren or neighbours, as many have, to whom to commit the care of their fatherlesse children and widows, which is more grievous to loving parents and husbands, then death it self. Thus some, who therefore supply after these words, And there is none to him, that is, either brother or neighbour that shall

say, Leave thy fatherlesse and widows to me; or taking these last words to be spoken by God, they understand them, as ironicall; as if he had said, Dost * 1.11 thou think that thy fatherlesse being left to me, I will take care of them, or bid thy widows trust in me? No, thou art deceived if thou thinkest so. Cal∣vin hath both these wayes, and preferreth the last. Some others, because it is said, His seed is spoiled, so that none remained in all Edom, understand it, as if the Lord had said, Leave thy Orphans to me, if thou hast any, but thou shalt have none, nor widows that may make me their refuge in their misery, for eve∣ry one in Edom, great and small, widows and childen shall be destroyed, which is further confirmed vers. 18. where the destruction of Edom is compared to that of Sodom, wherein not one escaped. And Psa. 13. 7. Edom is complain∣ed of, and cursed above others that holp to destroy Jerusalem for their ex∣ceeding great cruelty, even against little children, for which it was just that their children should be dasht against the stones, and so murthered. But it is best of all to read the first words, as cohering with vers. 10. thus, He hath none remaining, Leave thy fatherlesse, that is, Thou shalt leave thy fatherlesse and widows to the wide world, Shall I keep them alive? Shall thy widows trust in me? There is no reason for it, When as they drink whose judgement was not to drink of * 1.12 the cup, shalt not thou drink?

I have sworn by my self, saith the Lord, that Bozra shall be a desolation, &c. * 1.13 Of Bozrah a chief City in Idumea, or of Idumea sometime also called Bozra, see Isa. 34. 6. and Chap 63. 1. so that in threatning Bozra he threatneth all E∣dom, the principal part being put for the whole. Of another Bosra in Moab, see Jer. 48. 24. The Lord sweareth, because it seemed incredible that Bozra so rich and strong a place should come to ruine, and to shew his extraordinary wrath conceived against the Edomites for their extraordinary cruelty towards the Jews, of which before upon vers. 10. And therefore to Edom is no comfort at all spoken, as to Ammon and Moab in after-times, but that the destruction thereof shall be perpetual.

He speaketh the same against Edom that he had against Moab. Chap. 48. 40. * 1.14 by the Eagle denoting from whom her destruction shall come also. But before that vers. 19. there is a passage most hard to be understood, He shall come up * 1.15 like a Lion from the swelling of Jordan against the habitation of the strong, but I will suddenly make him run away from her. The same Nebuchadnezzar which is compared to an Eagle vers. 22. is here compared to a Lion coming up from the swellings of Jordan, that is, Jordan that overfloweth the banks oftentimes; and then the Lions living thereabouts remove up into the higher grounds, but not without terrour to such as amongst whom they come; and this is thus spoken, because Edom stood high, and Nebuchadnezzar came first against Ju∣dah, and after a certain time against Edom by that way, from whence to come to Edom a man must passe over Jordan. And for the strength of the Countrey the situation on high upon rocks shewed it; and David speaking therefore of it, saith, Who shall bring me into the strong City, who shall bring me into Edom? For the next words, in them lieth the greatest difficulty. For these words, I will suddenly make him run away from her, Calvin hath it, After I shall make to rest, I will make him to run from her. The Hebrew, Because I will make her rest, I will make him to run from her; or because the word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 may as well be rendred for as from, as Psal. 12. 6. at or for the great complaint of the poor I will arise; we may read it here, I will make him run at her, that is, to over∣throw and destroy her, that is, the strong habitation before spoken of, being a feminine. And then the meaning is according to Calvin, Edom shall in∣deed have rest for a time, but I will make Nebuchadnezzar to come hastily and * 1.16 destroy it. The word 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 hath indeed two other significations, 1. To di∣vide, 2. Suddenly, and therefore this makes a difference in translations, but although others following some one, and some another of these readings, give a sense somewhat divers, I rest in this as most genuine; As if he had said, Edom shall be permitted to dwell quietly for a time after Judah destroyed, yet then

I will make the Lion here spoken of to run upon her, and then Edom shall come to such ruine as is here threatned. If it be rendred by dividing, or sud∣denly, and from her, I see not how the sense can be made good, Who is a cho∣sen man that I may appoint over her? The Edomites hearing of this Lions com∣ing might think, Who is he that shall be able to do so great matters against us? and therefore the Lord moveth the same Question, that by answering it, and shewing them their adversary, they might not contemn this threatning; there∣fore in the next words he sheweth himself to be their adversary, saying, Who is like me? I am he that will set one over you and your Country, to root it out and destroy your Nation, and for this I will take the time that I please, for none can appoint me, or because it is not yet, say, It shall not be, and What shepherd is he that shall stand before me? That is, what King shall be able to de∣fend his people, as his flock, when I think good to send him whom I have chosen against it? For he shall come in my power which is unresistible by the mightiest Nations that are.

And to make this good, he saith, Ver. 20. The least of the flock shall draw them * 1.17 out. As if he had said, Let not the King of Edom think that he shall be able to stand and defend his people, when the Lion before-spoken of shall come; for not only he, but they that are least able of all his forces shall draw the E∣domites out of their strong Cities, till all the Land be made desolate. And therefore he calleth all men to hear this determination of the Lord against E∣dom, against Teman, the same Countrey being sometime called by one of these names, and sometime by the other. And it is to be noted that Hebr. it is not a plain affirmative, as in N. Tr. Surely the least of the flock shall, &c. but a kinde of oath, If the least of the flock shall not draw them out; I am a lier, but because that all know I abhor from this, I would have all men know what I intend to do, and assuredly expect it.

And when Edoms ruine cometh vers. 21. he saith, That it shall be heard to * 1.18 the red Sea, that is, afar off, not only by Land but by Sea, it shall be so great. Where the red Sea was in reference to Edom, we may gather out of Jerom. who upon Obadiah saith, That Idumea lay from Eleutheropolis to Petra and * 1.19 Ailat, and speaking of Ailat, lib. de locis Hebr. that it joineth to the South wil∣derness on the uttermost parts of Palestine and the red Sea.

Concerning Damascus, Hamath is confounded, and Arphad. Of Damascus * 1.20 the head City of Syria, see before upon Isa. 17. 1. Hemath another City of Syria was afterwards re-built by Antiochus Epiphanes and called Epiphania. Of Hamath see Numb. 13. 21. Of Arpad 2 King. 18. 34. The Kingdom of Syria, where these Cities stood, was destroyed by Salmanasar about the same time that he destroyed the Kingdom of Israel. But it seemeth these Cities were either not destroyed, or re-built and inhabited again since, but now should be destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar. For of the bringing under of Syria and Ha∣math, and Arphad there, see Isa. 36. 19. and of Israel 2 King. 17. as they were confederate together, so they fell together; and Damascus, and these other places are here threatned by Jeremiah after their first destruction, because that the Syrians had been almost alwayes great enemies to Judah, whilst Israel stood taking his part against the Jews; and by Benhadad here named, who is thought to be son of Asahel that made Damascus so fair a City, that Jeremiah calleth it his joy, they had suffered grievous things Therefore to comfort them, and to deter all enemies of Gods people, he bringeth in Damascus also, together with other Nations most infense to the Jews, shewing further destru∣ction yet to come upon the inhabitants thereof. See the like threatning against Damascus Amos 1. 14.

Whereas a fire kindling in the Palace of Benhadad is spoken of vers. 27. as * 1.21 Amos 1. 4. it is thus said, because the like should be done in Damascus the se∣cond time.

Touching Kedar next threatned, Gen. 25. 13. Kedar was one of the sons of * 1.22 Ishmael, who gave the name to the place wherein they lived; this place was

also called Arabia deserta. The people dwelt in Tents, and removed from place to place, it being a most barren countrey, to finde pasture for their Camels where∣with they abounded, and for their Sheep. Whereby it appears that they were Ishmaelites, who at this day call themselves Saracens, although they came of Hagar the bondmaid, and therefore were Hagarens, but to credit themselves the more they will now be called Saracens. These are the Turks that have so greatly inlarged their dominions all over Asia, and a great part of Europe, be∣ing in former times a wilde kinde of people, and intent only to the feeding of Cattel, and in following this course they endured much hardship. It is here also further added, And the Kingdoms of Hazor, about which, though some make a Question, what Hazor is meant, whether that mentioned Joshua 11. 1. or any of those Hazors Josh. 15. 23, 25. where three Hazors lying with∣in the lot of Judah, are spoken of together. But because the inhabitants of Hazor are said to be Children of the East; and the last of these three Hazors was Eastward in the wilderness of Paran, and Ishmael is said to have dwelt in this wilderness, it is most generally held to be the Hazor here spoken of, some City of the Ishmaelites, and that the Kingdoms thereof were their several divi∣sions, some living East, some West, some North, and some South therefrom, being alwayes moving from one place to another, as was said before. Now to them Nebuchadnezzars coming is also threatned, to whom a man would not think that he should have come, being a people that lived within themselves in quiet, attending their Cattel, and not medling with other Nations. Yet because they were wicked and ungodly, as we gather by the complaint of Da∣vid, when he was forced to live in the wilderness, saying, Woe is me that I have my habitation in the Tents of Kedar, as if he were like Lot amongst the So∣domites, the Lord would not suffer them to go unpunished, to shew that wic∣kedness [Note.] in whomsoever, although without all civill education, shall be se∣verely judged, and also that no judgements came upon any people by ac∣cident, but by Gods appointment, who is the great Ruler and Judge of all the world.

The word of the Lord against Elam: Most by Elam understand Persia: for * 1.23 Elam was the son of Shem, Gen. 10. 22. and of him came the Elamites, and as Josephus saith, the Persians. But Pliny distinguisheth the Persian or Elemaitan Countrey into two Provinces, Susianes and Elemais being divided by the river Eulaeus arising in Media. And it is most probable, saith Calvin, that Elemais * 1.24 is here meant, lying between Judea and Persia, and he conjectures the same to be Parthia, but soon retracts this, because Act. 2. 9. Parthians and Elamites are spoken of as divers people, yet he speaks of them again as Parthians, be∣cause they are spoken of as good Archers, for which the Parthians were famous, but the Elamites of Elemais living near unto them might be such expert Arch∣ers also. But what made the Lord to be so offended with them? Most proba∣bly they holp the King of Babylon in his wars against the Jews, and afterwards upon some breach, he, of confederates made them Subjects through a desire of domineering over all Countries far and wide.

I will bring the four winds against the Elamites, and disperse them. This Calvin * 1.25 takes to have been fulfilled after Alexanders death, when his Captains strove most fiercely for the Kingdoms of the earth: for then the times were most tempestuous, as if windes had been raised by a divine spirit to blow in a most terrible manner from all parts. But it is most commonly understood of the Caldees, and the conclusion of the turning of their Captivity at the de∣struction * 1.26 of Babylon, being the same with that of Moab, Chap. 48. 47. makes it more then probable.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Vers. 1.
• * 1.2

  Theod.
• * 1.3

  Vers. 2. 2 Sam. 11. 1.
• * 1.4

  Vers. 3.
• * 1.5

  Vers. 4.
• * 1.6

  Vers. 6. Vers. 7.
• * 1.7

  Vers. 8.
• * 1.8

  Vers. 9.
• * 1.9

  Vers. 10.
• * 1.10

  Vers. 11.
• * 1.11

  Calvin.
• * 1.12

  Vers. 12.
• * 1.13

  Vers. 13.
• * 1.14

  Vers. 22.
• * 1.15

  Vers. 19.
• * 1.16

  Calvin. Vatabl.
• * 1.17

  Vers. 20.
• * 1.18

  Vers. 21.
• * 1.19

  Hieron. de locis Hebr.
• * 1.20

  Vers. 23.
• * 1.21

  Vers. 27.
• * 1.22

  Vers. 28.
• * 1.23

  Vers. 34. Joseph. Antiqu. l. 1. c. 7. Plin. l. 6. c. 27.
• * 1.24

  Calvin.
• * 1.25

  Vers. 36.
• * 1.26

  Vers. 37.